Take Me Away (Southern Bride 6)

I pushed at him to get away from me. He was hovering over me like a damn mother hen. “Truitt! Stop fucking asking me so many questions. Help me stand up first.”

He reached out and helped me stand. I glanced around and held up my hands, forcing a smile on my face when I saw a small group of people from the dinner all standing around. It killed me to smile, because inside I was dying a slow death. But I had to play it off like it was no big deal since I was out in public. “It’s all good, sorry about that, folks. Didn’t mean to scare anyone.”

Then I saw Amy and Steve. Someone must have called them.

Shit.

“Get everyone out of here except for Amy and Steve,” I whispered to Truitt.

Truitt stepped away from me. “Everything is fine, folks. Please, head on back into the ballroom. I do believe we’ve got an announcement.”

“We do?” Saryn asked with a confused expression on her face.

“Yes.” Then Truitt leaned in and whispered something to her.

She nodded and started gathering everyone up and leading them back into the event center. “We have a big giveaway announcement, let’s all head in and see what it could be! Trust me, you won’t want to miss this,” Saryn called out as she headed back in.

Amy and Steve walked over to me, concern etched all over their faces.

“Nolan, we’ve been calling Linnzi and it’s going straight to her voicemail,” Amy said. “The valet said she got into an Uber that was waiting for someone else and it left…with her in it!”

I pinched the bridge of my nose with my thumb and forefinger. “Give me a moment, please, Amy.”

Amy pressed her mouth tightly shut.

I drew in a shaky breath and then exhaled. “She found out,” I softly said.

“About?” Steve asked, even though we all knew what I meant.

I looked at Amy and Steve and attempted to keep my composure. “She found the sonogram picture of Amanda in my wallet.”

Amy gasped and Truitt grabbed hold of her. “How?” he asked.

I shook my head. “I don’t know, Truitt! I asked her to get money out for the valet while I ran that check back in to you. It was behind my military ID. She couldn’t possibly have seen it unless she took my ID out.”

“Are you sure she found it?” Amy asked. I hated the fear and concern I heard in her voice.

“It was on top of my wallet. I’m thinking she might have meant to drop the keys, and instead dropped the photo.”

“It most likely triggered her memory from the way she reacted,” Truitt said.

I nodded. “We need to find her. I have no idea what kind of emotional state she’s in. She has never allowed herself to grieve Amanda’s death, and now she’s all alone.”

“Where do you think she went?” Truitt asked.

My gaze met Steve’s. “Your house,” I said.

He nodded and guided Amy toward the parking lot as he called back over his shoulder, “Have Truitt take you to the house—I’ll meet you there.”

Turning to Truitt, I went to ask him to get his truck, but he said, “I already asked them to bring it up. What about your truck?”

I searched for the valet. “Call a tow truck and have them bring it to this address.” I took a business card for the ranch out of my wallet that was still in the front seat. I handed it to the young kid and then pulled out a couple hundred dollars. “This is for you to get it taken care of as soon as possible.”

He nodded. “Yes, sir. I’ll call right now.”

When I turned back to the passenger seat, I reached down for the old sonogram photo and gently picked it up before running over to Truitt’s truck. “What about Saryn?”

“I’ll call her and tell her what’s going on. She’ll be fine.”

All I could do was nod as I glanced back down at the old photo in my hand. I hadn’t looked at it in at least a year. I folded it gently back up, pulled out my ID, and then put it back in its usual place.

“Why do you think she took out your ID?” Truitt asked.

“I don’t know.”

“Nolan, it’s going to be okay.”

Looking at him, I opened my mouth to say something, but no words would come. All I could do was drop my head back against the seat, close my eyes, and pray.

Please be at the house, Linz. Please.Steve and Amy were already in the driveway of their house when Truitt and I pulled up out front. I pushed the door open to the truck and made a mad dash to the house.

“Her shoes are out here! Why are her shoes out here?” Amy cried out.

“She kicked them off,” I said as I ran by her and up the steps into the house. “Linnzi! Linnzi!”